Fence



Aug. 29, 1950 c. D. HARRIS 2,520,313

FENCE Filed sept. 2s, 194e ,4free/Vix Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT i OFFICE 2,520,313` FENCE Clarence D. Harris, Inglewood, Calif. Application September 23, 1946, Serial N o. 698,602

3 claims. (c1. 25egm The present invention relates to fences in general and particularly to a fabricated fence which is characterized by its ease of construction and its adaptability to sloping terrain. More specifically, the invention comprises a metallic picket fence fabricated and supported in an improved manner.

Fences have been used by man for centuries to define the limits of his domain, to restrain the intruder, and to prevent the escape of personalty such as domestic animals. Primitive fences took the form of stone barriers and at an early date fences formed of interlocked tree limbs served the same purpose. Fences formed from split rails were familiar landmarks on the American countryside for many years and still remain in certain parts of the country.

In more modern times the wire fencemade its apperance supported at intervals by posts extended into the ground. Wooden and metallic picket fences, sometimes with sharpened upper extremities were also constructed. It is toward this last variant that the present invention is dirested, comprising as it does an improved method of picket fence construction and design.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved picket fence. l

It is another object of the invention to provide improved demountable supporting means for a picket fence.

A further object of the invention is to provide supporting means for a picket fence which enables the fence to conform to the contour of the land.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering the connection therewith of the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated;

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a fence constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial horizontal section upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the support upon line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged showing of the connection of two fence sections at the support, the possibility of angular adjustment being shown in dotted lines;

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Figure 5 is a section through a modified construction showing the pickets bolted to the transverse rail member; and l Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 5 through a second modied construction.

` Referring again to the drawings and particularly to Figures l to 4 inclusive, a fence constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the inventionas illustrated, and is seen to comprise a plurality of vertically extending spaced pickets II which are preferably of metal cut and shaped to give a pleasing appearance. In the preferred form illustrated the pickets individually are formed with longitudinally extending V-sectioned ridges on their forward faces, indicated by the reference character I2,

which ridges are bordered by parallel flat flanges |13.l At the upper end of each picket the ridge I 2 narrows gradually, the flanges I3 being correspondinglywidened and there being shaped to provide pleasing edge curVatureS. The pickets are secured adjacent at their upper and lower eX- tremities to horizontally extending rails i5 and I6, respectively, preferably by welding at the hat flanges I3.

The fence sections are preferably assembled at the plant, a plurality of pickets being spot-welded to parallel rails, the length of which may vary but which are not so long as to make the section unmanageable. As is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the horizontal rails extend beyond the end picket in each case to provide supporting means as will be described.

The rails I5 and I6 are identical and are formed, as is most clearly illustrated in Figure 3,

in connection with rail I5, with a fiat forward Wall II from which extend upper and lower on Walls I8 at obtuse angles varying slightly from the perpendicular. A partial rear wall 2| extends parallel to the` front wall I'I and is integral with the top wall I8.

Rails I5 and I6 are supported at their ends by vertically extending posts 20 which are V-sectioned with flanges 22 extending along the open sides of the V. Each post is secured. in the ground, in a preferred form, being fastened at their lower end in a suitable cement block in a standard manner although this is not essential.

In the assembled relationship, the endls of the rails I5 and I 6` are drawn against the forward faces of post anges 22 by means of a U-sectioned bracket 24 which is shaped to extend around three sides of the rails, as illustrated in Figure 3, and in a manner which permits a slight tilting therein as shown by the dotted line position of rail l in Figure 4. The aligned rails extend within bracket 24 from both sides thereof and are forced at their rear Walls 2| against the post 20 by the action of a bolt 25 the headed end of Which is positioned forward of bracket 24. Bolt 26 extends between the adjacent ends of the aligned rails, l5 or i6, through the post 2li and specically through a vertical slot 21 in the base thereof, to be locked in position by a nut 2B threaded thereon. The presence of the slot in the post permits a limited vertical adjustment of the supporting bolt 25 and of the brackets 24, to accommodate slight variations in the vertical position of the posts in the ground. The mounting of the aligned horizontal rails it is identical to that of the rails l5 described.

In assembling a fence constructed in accordance with the present invention, the fencesections comprising a plurality of pickets i i secured to upper and lower rails l5 and I S of desired length are broughtto -the job from the factory. The posts 2@ are first 4mounted inthe ground vat desired distances apart and .in position to give to the fence its desired shape. Thereafter the fence sections are secured-to the posts by means of the brackets .26, adjacent sectionsrpreferably being positioned before the bolts Zrare tightened. If a fence post happens Vto be slightly high or slightly low it is possible, in order to secure-exact fence alignment, to raise orV to lower the -supportingbracket 2t slightly by moving the bolt y25 in the slot 2l'. If the contour-ofthe ground yis such that it is desired to have the fence incline from the horizontal, the rails l5 and I6 may be tilted slightly within the supporting bracket 24 in .a manner indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4. If still greater inclination is desired the end-of the rail may be cut at an angle to make still greater inclination possible.

Referring now to the second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figure 5, -it is vto be understood that that embodiment is identical Ato the embodiment flrstdescribed with the exception of the means for securing the picketflanges i?, to the supporting rails. In this embodiment short bolts 3l extend through the anges i3 and through the front wall of the rail at holes .32, being securedin place by suitable nuts 33. Limited play .between the bolts and the apertures .which they extend makes possible the sloping of fthe horizontal supporting rails I 5 while mainta'i-n rig the vertical alignment of the pickets, a result. not possible in the iirst embodiment. To .sii-ect,this result. the apertures 32 Ithrough which .theboltsf'i extend are intentionally madelarger than the bolts.

I-Zefe `igparticularly to the vn'iod-iii'ed picket .securing Figure 6 it is seen that-the rtwobelts .uponeopposite sides of the picket YH have'. been replaced -ateach horizontal supportrail lll by a single elongated boltlihaving uf-.sectioned head fitting thel sloping sides-ofthe :iet `and an elongated shank-Lw'hich extends .centrally :through the forward latvwa-ll ofthe rail. Openings and 3Q inthe picket-and yrail respcctit .,iy, receive the `bolt shank whichis threaded at. its .end .to seat a retainingnutadl.

forni kof .picket-retaining. means is particu- ;larly. desirable where the groundslopes .and it issclesignsd to vary the angularity ofthe pickets ,relatiile V.to the rails. VA.single'retaining boltper tosaid postand with it said bracket.

by la side-flange of said post and by the in front surface of said bracket upon Vbeing tilted, .andthe-end of said rail resting upon the underlying lower arm of said U-sectioned bracket, and .abolt extended through said bracket and through `saidpcst having a sufficient range or" adjust` to enable said bracket to support the end of s o' mits of a much wider range of angular variation than can be obtained Within the embodiment of Figure 5.

While the particular apparatus herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of my invention, and that I do not mean to limit myself to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1 ,In a fence, a verticalv -sectioned post formed with spaced vertically extending side anges, a

Yl'iorizontally extending rail formed with vertically extending front and rear faces or at least a portion of its length including its ends, the rear vface ofsaid rail abutting a flange of said post, a

U-ectioned bracket seating the end of said rail having agreater interior vertical dimension than the vertical height of said rail whereby with saidA rail extended only partially thro .gh said bracket the rail is tiltable in a vertical plane, the-front and rear faces oi said rail being guided .rail Ifor .free tilting movementand being adapu tobedrawn tight to clamp the end of said rail between .said .bracket and said post to prevent Irelative movement.

` 2. Ina fence, a'vertical V-sectioned post formed vwith spaced vertically' extending sido flanges, a

l'iorizontaily extending rail formed with vertically extending ront and rear faces for at least ,a portion vol its length including its ends, the

`saidrail havinga greater .interior vertical dimen- 45 sion than the .vertical height of said rail whereby with said rail extended only partially through lsai'dbracketthe rail is tiitable in a vertical plane.

.slot .in said post and Ahavinga sufficient range of llongitudinal adjustment tozsupportsai'd bracket loosely to permitsaid rail freetilting movement and being adapted to be drawn tight to clamp said rail tight against saidpost, ltlievertical displacement of said bolt in saidslot ,enabling saidbo'lt tobe raised and-.lowered with respect 3. In a fence, a vertical V -sectioned post formed -with..'spaced .vertically extending .sideiianges a horizo'nta-lly extending railY formed with .verticallyextending. front and .rear faces'for at least -a;portion oifits length including its ends, the

rear face of said rail abutting a flange of said epost,i a U-.SeCtiGned vbracket freely pivoted Vfor angular adjustment about ailrorizontal axis, said extended'. only. partially through said bracket. the ,rail istiltable; inrayertica'l .plana the frontrand rear faces of said rail being guidedeby aside flange of said post and by the inner front surface UNITED STATES PATENTS of said bracket upon being tilted, and the end of Number Name Date Said rail resting upon the underlying lower arm 43,644 Miner Jun, 21:;J 1854 of said U-sectioned bracket, and a bolt extended 194724 Reed et a1 Aug 28] 1877 through said bracket and through said post hav- 5 197,054 Redmond NOV 13, 1877 ing a sulcient range of adjustment to enable 355,099 Richart June 21, 1387 said bracket to support the end of said rail for 799,413 Spencer Sept 12 1905 free tilting movement and being adapted to be 321311 Lundy Aug 17 1943 drawn tight to clamp the end of said rail between 2,346,111 MacKenzie Apr.' 4j 1944 said bracket and said post to prevent relative 10 movement FOREIGN PATENTS CLARENCE D. HARRIS.V Number Count?? Date 311,111 Great Brltam May 9, 1929 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the. l5 le of this patent: 

